Hounds Drop Overtime Heartbreaker to Cameron

PORTALES, N.M. —   Senior forward Gerald Brown’s (Houma, La./Terrebonne HS/Kilgore College) rebound and put back in the waning seconds of overtime appeared to lift the Eastern New Mexico University men’s basketball team (3-4) to victory, but the Greyhounds were assessed a technical foul for rushing the court in premature celebration and dropped a 71-69 decision to Cameron University (6-1). The Lone Star Conference Crossover game was played at Greyhound Arena on Saturday afternoon.

After the Aggies charged to an 11-2 lead over the contests’ opening 3:49 of play, Tyler Jefferson (Sr., F, Fort Worth, Texas/Tyler JC) hit a fast break layup to ignite a 12-4 Greyhound run over the ensuing 3:43, trimming the Hounds’ deficit to 15-14, on two Max Carrier (Jr., F, Canyon Lake, Calif./Irvine Valley CC) free throws. After Cameron pushed their lead back six, 26-20, Alan Branch (Sr., G, Houston, Texas/Tyler JC) drained a three-point bucket, followed by back-to-back fast break baskets from Aaron Edwards (Jr., F, Long Beach, Calif./San Bernardino Valley College) and Tralyn Harden (Jr., G, Itasca, Texas/Itasca HS/McClennan CC), to give the Hounds their first lead of the game, 27-26, with 5:20 left. The teams went back and forth, with before Stefan Mirabal’s (Jr., G, Albuquerque, N.M./Sandia HS) steal and buzzer-beating three-point basket allowing the Hounds to take a 37-33 edge into the locker room.

The Hounds put together a 14-4 run spanning 7:46 of the first and second halves, taking their largest lead of the game, with 16:12 left in regulation on a jumper by Jefferson.  Desmond Henry followed with a jumper and a trey, igniting a 13-5 Aggie run, tying the contest at 48-all, with 8:11 left. From that point, there was seven lead changes and four tie scores for the rest of regulation. Cameron opened the extra session with a 7-3 run, seizing a 68-64 edge with 13 seconds left. A Harden basket, followed by a free throw pulled the Hounds to within one point 68-67, with three seconds left. After Harden missed his second attempt, Brown grabbed two rebounds, including one off his own shot and scored to give Eastern a 69-68 lead with 0.2 seconds left. It appeared that the Hounds had picked up the win, but a player came off the bench in premature celebration and was assessed a technical foul for delay of game. Thomas Razor hit two free throws to give CU the lead, and Vinicius Telo hit a free throw to seal the game.

Carrier registered his third double double of the season, with 16 points, 10 rebounds, five blocks, two assists and a steal. Harden finished with 13 points, while Jefferson added nine points and six boards. Jordan Romero (Fr., G, Santa Fe, N.M./St. Michaels HS) chipped in 11 points. Josh Davis paced five Aggies in double figures with 16 points

The Eastern New Mexico University men’s basketball team will return to action on Monday, December, 13, when they visit Texas A&M-Commerce in LSC Crossover action. The contest is scheduled for a  7 p.m. MST tip off.